Paracitute and seat harness



Oct. 13, 1953 Filed Aug. 28, 1950 J. MARTIN PARACHUTE AND SEAT HARNESS 4 Sheets-Sheet l fwenl'or JAMES. Amen/v.

Attorney Oct. 13, 1953 J. MARTIN PARACHUTE AND SEAT HARNESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 28, 1950 fia/enwr JAMES AFT/(V.

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Oct. 13, 1953 J. MARTIN PARACHUTE AND SEAT HARNESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 28, 1950 [rave/1522;. JZMES MART/Al.

' er A El /01728 9 Oct. 13, 1953 J. MARTIN PARACHUTE AND SEAT HARNESS Fi led Aug. 28, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fm/eni'or JFIMES MA m per Patented Oct. 13, 1953 2 01mg (C Min- 2); .T.

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. meme/E 2. 113E5 to lean forward as and when required. When the pilot resumes a normal posture the release mechanism in the box returns to normal position. The straps 6! are connected to top adjustment devices 65.

Back lift webs 23 and front lift webs 23a are provided. The front lift webs are attached to adjustment devices 10 (Fig. and pass through lift web buckles 31 on the shoulders. The back lift webs also pass through the buckles 31.

There is a body harness strap 26 and two lap straps 50. Each lap strap is joined at one end to an intermediate part of the body harness strap 26, the lap straps and the body harness strap form in combination a combined strap having parts passing over the airmans shoulders and crossing diagonally over his back, the combined strap adjacent the connexions of the lap straps to the body harness strap having plugs 52 plugging into releasable locks on the seat pan at each corner thereof and close to the airman, and also being detachably secured by plugs 43 to a harness release box 32, the combined strap serving to hold the trunk of the airman against substantial stretching in a vertical direction when he is subjected to severe vertical acceleration.

' Turning to the left hand side of Fig. 4 it will be seen that the path of the body harness strap 26, passes upwards from the plug 43 of the harness release box through the adjustment device 10, through the shoulder lift web buckle 31, over the shoulder and continues across the back of the pilot (see Fig. 9) down to the leg straps 29,'

30, on the right hand side of Fig. 4. It then passes below a seat type dinghy pack across to the leg straps on the left hand side of Fig. 4 and takes an upward path but in a reverse direction across the back of the pilot (see Fig. 9) to the other shoulder lift web buckleand then down the front and through the other adjustment device to the other plug 43.

Various components of the combined harness are stitched to one another at the parts indicated by 80.

It is also possible to fly with the shoulder harness slack thus giving the wearer greater freedom to look backwards without in any way impairing the efficiency of the harness for giving vertical restraint.

-A single six point harness release box 32 is provided.

The seat type dinghy pack 28, Figure 9, is secured by the leg straps and a holder of flexible material may be provided for this pack.

As stated where required the various webs or straps are provided with means for adjusting them on the wearer and these means are provided in front so that the adjustment of each individual strap or web 'may be made rapidly by simply pulling on the end of the strap or web whilst the user is sitting in the seat in the aircraft. V I

The combination harness will now be described in connection with a parachute pack having upper and lower compartments containing respectively a drogue parachute and a main parachute. Such an arrangement is suitable for use with automatic control mechanism for use with an ejection seat or may be adapted for use with other types of seats having a releasable lock for securing the harness.

In the example of the invention illustrated embodying the combined one-piece harness and parachute pack a suitable main or personal parachute is packed in the lower compartment I of 4 a wedge-shaped pack 2, as described in my U. S. Patent No. 2,569,638 of October 2, 1951. The small upper compartment 3 contains a drogue parachute for controlling the seat after ejection and for drawing the main parachute from its compartment. Dividing these compartments are four triangular flaps 5 secured by a detachable pin 6 or other suitable means. Attached to the pin 6 is a drogue cable 1 from a shackle 8 and thence through the flaps 5 to the top of the canopy of the main parachute (Fig. 3). Enclosing the upper or drogue compartment 3 and forming a top to the wedge-shaped pack are four similar flaps 9, similarly secured, the securing pin ID in this case being connected to a drogue gun piston ated the firing control handle [2 the conical or other ends of which plug into conical bores or other suitable recesses, at the ends of across member I3 built into the pack. Spring loaded plungers lying axially in the bore of the cross member engage in grooves on the conical ends of the firing control handle serving to keep it in position rigidly whilst still permitting 7 easy withdrawal of the handle.

The drogue gun and allied parts form no part of the present invention, but are described and illustrated in my pending application Serial No.

129,745 aforesaid now U. S. Patent No. 2,569,638

of'October 2, 1951, and my Letters Patent No. 2,527,020.

Approximately half way down the front face of the pack a cross tube l4 may be built into the pack to which may be pivoted an attachment plate [5. The shoulder straps may be picked up" at this point. The function of the cross tube is to prevent the pack being thrown forward if the aircraft should make a crash landing. Attachment plates on the harness straps and the pack are plugged into locks provided for them on the main frame of the ejection seat and they, together with the cross tube, form a cantilever structure which serves to support the pack vertically, i. e.

the pack is prevented from sliding downwards when accelerated during ejection of the seator sliding upwards due to negative G on the aircraft or in inverted flight.

A webbing strap ll with-attachment plates l8,

which also plug into locks on the main frame of' the seat, surrounds the top of the pack and prevents it bending forward above the cross tube in a crash landing or when the firing control handleis pulled.

A light gauge sheet metal plate I9 built into" the pack prevents bulging and simplifies the attachment of the aforementioned cross members.

At the bottom or thin end of the wedge-shapedpack straps 20 are attached which engage insuitable buckles on the harness. This, together with the aforementioned shoulder straps picking up the cross tube l4, ensure that the pack is securely attached to the pilot.

The parachute lift webs 23 (Fig; 4) emerge from the top of the pack and are brought down the front or sides of the pack through snap fastened pockets 24, then turn upwards onto the shoulders of the pilot' (Fig. 8). Sufliclent slack is left to enable the pilot to lean forward in the seat after loosening his harness. This arrangement of the lift webs ensures that, when the parachute is withdrawn from the pack and the pilot is suspended from the lift webs, the pack is merely an empty shell still attached to the pilot's back.

Immediately below the firing control handle [2 on the forward face of the pack there may be provided a headrest 25 (Figs. 1 and 8). This is formed to fit into the nape of the neck where it gives maximum support and the greatest degree of comfort to the head.

A wedge form of pack is adopted because this gives the slenderest form of pack, provides a shape which fits snugly to the back of the pilot, and the resulting length provides maximum stability when used as a personal parachute. The narrow form of this pack also makes it possible to take the straps 26 (Fig. 9) straight back on either side of the pack down to a point on the main frame 21 of the seat rather lower than the pilots shoulders. Another virtue of the narrow pack is that the rearward line of vision is unimpaired.

It will be apparent that the invention can be variously modified and changed within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combined harness for airman forming both a parachute harness and a seat harness permanently secured together as a unit construction and comprising a waist strap, a body harness strap, two lap straps, each lap strap bein joined at one end to an intermediate part of the body harness strap, the lap straps and the body harness strap forming a combined strap having parts passing over the alrmans shoulders and crossing diagonally over his back, plugs adjacent the connexions of the lap straps to the body harness strap plugging into releasable locks on a seat pan at each corner thereof and close to the airman, a six point harness release box on said waist strap, means on the ends of said body harness strap adjacent the release box for detachably securing said strap to said release box, means on the lap straps for detachably securing these to the release box, leg straps attached to the body harness strap, means at the ends of said leg straps for detachably securing these to the release box. back lift webs and front lift webs connected to said body harness strap, adjustment devices for said body harness strap and adjustment devices for said lap straps.

2. A combined harness as claimed in claim 1, having shoulder straps connected to the body harness strap.

JAMES MARTIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,339,227 Sebeto May 4, 1920 1,898,090 Lethern Feb. 21, 1933 2,192,109 Smith Feb. 27, 1940 2,457,252 Martin Dec. 28, 1948 2,475,631 Miller July 12, 1949 2,495,381 Moran Jan. 24, 1950 2,516,004 Kajdan July 18, 1950 2,542,248 Heffernan Feb. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 589,945 Great Britain July 3, 1947 

